Jul 12, 2018

Teaching is a highly complex activity.[2] This is in part because teaching is a social practice, that takes place in a specific context (time, place, culture, socio-political-economic situation etc.) and therefore reflects the values of that specific context.[3] Factors that influence what is expected (or required) of teachers include history and tradition, social views about the purpose of education, accepted theories about learning, etc.[4]

Competences

The competencies required by a teacher are affected by the different ways in which the role is understood around the world. Broadly, there seem to be four models:

The OECD has argued that it is necessary to develop a shared definition of the skills and knowledge required by teachers, in order to guide teachers' career-long education and professional development.[6] Some evidence-based international discussions have tried to reach such a common understanding. For example, the European Union has identified three broad areas of competences that teachers require: